Time is running out for Michigan basketball

On Thursday night, Michigan basketball suffered its eighth loss of the season. This time, the Wolverines failed to overcome their own flaws in a 64-58 loss at Maryland. Michigan has had an up-and-down season thus far, though the downs have been far more prevalent. Now, time is running out for Michigan’s NCAA Tournament hopes.

Michigan falls to 4-3 in conference play

Michigan basketball had a rough non-conference start. The Wolverines are 6-5 outside of Big Ten play, which includes a 63-61 home loss to Central Michigan. This Q4 loss is a huge mark on Michigan’s resume, and will make it even harder for U-M to see a tournament berth this year.

On Thursday, the Wolverines dropped a seemingly-winnable game on the road at Maryland. In Michigan’s first matchup with Maryland on the first day of 2023, the Wolverines ran away with a 81-46 win; in fact, Michigan appears to have Maryland’s number during the Juwan Howard era.

Still, that didn’t stop the Terrapins from taking down the Wolverines in game two of the series. The loss drops Michigan’s overall record to 10-8 — far less than ideal for a tournament berth — and 4-3 in the Big Ten. Michigan basketball could have taken sole possession of 2nd place in the Big Ten last night, yet could not overcome its faults and now sits in a 5-way-tie for 3rd place.

Michigan’s resume does not bode well

Michigan’s Quad 4 loss to Central Michigan is not the only glaring mark on its tournament resume; the Wolverines also boast an 0-7 record in Quad 1 games. Michigan’s road matchup against Maryland felt like the perfect opportunity for Michigan basketball to get back on track; however, U-M was not able to pull it off.

All three of Michigan’s Big Ten losses thus far have come outside of the Crisler Center. When playing in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines appear to be a far better team then when they’re on the road — this is not abnormal; however, it could be an issue come Big Ten and NCAA Tournament time.

If Michigan’s final shot at a tournament berth is by winning the conference tournament, it will need to play far better away from home than it has to this point.

Could Juwan Howard’s seat be heating up?

At this point, it’s hard to say where the Wolverines stand under Juwan Howard. Some nights, Michigan basketball looks like a top-25 team; others, the Wolverines look like a MAC program. Heartbreaking would be an understatement for Michigan thus far seeing as most of its losses to this point have been due to its own flaws.

Juwan Howard’s Wolverines somehow snuck into the NCAA Tournament last year with a mere 17 wins — Michigan then went on a remarkable run to the Sweet 16. That tournament run was all that stood between him and some very grumpy Michigan fans. Now, U-M could miss the tournament altogether, and once again some are questioning Howard.

The rotations and in-game decisions don’t always make sense, and frankly, a lot of the blame can be reasonably pinned on Juwan. I am not saying Howard is a bad coach — I think Howard is the future of the Michigan program — however there is a lot that needs to be addressed and fast. The 2020-21 Michigan basketball season — the year that Howard led U-M to an outright Big Ten Championship and an Elite 8 appearance — feels like forever ago.

I don’t think Juwan Howard is on the hot seat just yet; however, it feels like his seat is starting to get warm.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Managing Editor at [email protected] or DM him on Twitter, @CJsWrld_.